Crop density map using row sensors

Abstract

A harvester has a stool width sensor that senses stool width of a crop stool. A position sensor senses a position of the harvester, and a map generator generates a map based on the sensed stool width and the sensed position.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A sugarcane harvester, comprising:
 a stool width sensor that senses a width of a sugarcane stool during harvesting when a width sensing component contacts the sugarcane stool, and provides a width signal indicative of the sensed stool width; 
 a position sensing component that senses a position of the harvester and provides a position signal indicative of the sensed position; and 
 a map generator coupled to the stool width sensor and the position sensing component and generates a map based on the sensed stool width and the sensed position. 
 
     
     
       2. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 a mass flow sensor that senses mass flow of sugarcane through the harvester and provides a mass flow signal indicative of the sensed mass flow. 
 
     
     
       3. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 2  wherein the map generator generates the map based on the sensed mass flow. 
     
     
       4. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 3  wherein the map generator correlates the sensed stool width with the sensed mass flow and the sensed position to generate a crop position map indicative of a position of sugarcane plants in the sugarcane field. 
     
     
       5. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 a communication component that receives the map and communicates it to a remote system. 
 
     
     
       6. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 1  wherein the map generator correlates the sensed stool width to the sensed position at locations throughout a sugarcane field. 
     
     
       7. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 6  wherein the map generator generates the map as a stool width map to indicate stool width throughout the sugarcane field. 
     
     
       8. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 6  wherein the map generator calculates crop density from the sensed stool width and generates the map to indicate the crop density throughout the sugarcane field. 
     
     
       9. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 8  wherein the map generator generates the map to indicate crop density variance throughout the sugarcane field. 
     
     
       10. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 6  wherein the map generator generates the map to show locations of crop gaps in the sugarcane field. 
     
     
       11. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 10  wherein the map generator generates the map to identify renewal candidate areas in the sugarcane field based on the crop gaps. 
     
     
       12. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 6  wherein the map generator calculates estimated yield based on the sensed stool width and generates the map to show relative yield throughout the sugarcane field. 
     
     
       13. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 1  wherein the stool width sensor comprises:
 a deflection sensor that deflects to a magnitude that varies as the stool width varies. 
 
     
     
       14. The sugarcane harvester of  claim 1  wherein the stool width sensor comprises one of a group consisting of:
 an optical sensor; 
 an ultrasound sensor; and 
 a microwave sensor. 
 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 receiving a stool width signal, from a stool width sensing component of a harvester, wherein the signal is indicative of a sensed stool width, as a harvester travels over a ratoon crop field and the stool width sensing component contacts a stool within the ratoon crop field; 
 receiving a position signal indicative of a geographical location of the harvester as the harvester travels over the ratoon crop field; and 
 generating a stool width map indicative of the sensed stool width at locations in the ratoon crop field, based on the stool width signal and the position signal. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  and further comprising:
 receiving a mass flow signal indicative of a mass flow of ratoon crop through the harvester; and 
 generating a crop position map based on the stool width signal, the position signal and the mass flow signal. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  and further comprising:
 sensing the sensed stool width and generating the stool width signal. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  and further comprising:
 sensing the geographical location and generating the position signal. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15  wherein generating the stool width map comprises:
 identifying crop gap locations in the ratoon crop field. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15  wherein generating the stool width map comprises:
 calculating renewal candidate areas in the ratoon crop field based on a size of crop gaps in the ratoon crop field; and 
 identifying the renewal candidate areas on the stool width map. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15  and further comprising:
 sending the stool width map to a remote analysis system. 
 
     
     
       22. A computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a stool width signal indicative of a sensed stool width when a width sensing component contacts the stool of a ratoon crop, as a harvester travels over a ratoon crop field; 
 receiving a position signal indicative of a geographical location of the harvester as the harvester travels over the ratoon crop field; and 
 generating a stool width map indicative of the sensed stool width at locations in the ratoon crop field, based on the stool width signal and the position signal. 
 
     
     
       23. The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , and further comprising:
 receiving a mass flow signal indicative of a mass flow of ratoon crop through the harvester; and 
 generating a crop position map based on the stool width signal, the position signal and the mass flow signal.